Cigarette rod forming mechanism



Sept' 6, 1932- E. D. swam-a CIGARETTE ROD FORMING MECHNISM Filled Nov. 11. 1953.

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ELnnnoN n. sM'Irn, or BnooKriYN, Nnwi Yong., Assis-Non 'ro AMERIQN MACHINE a roUNnnY, ooMiaNY, n'conr'onnrron or NEW Yon-K CIGARETTE nonFonMrNs MionANIsM Appncati'n mea Noemeer 11, 1521. serial No. 574,415.

" thus make possible production of more uniform cigarettes at higher speeds than heretofore obtainableand more particularly, to provide a rod former and rod forming tongue which. is provided with a device for supplying small quantities of a suitable iiuid for this purpose to the underside of the tongue. Y.

It has been found that in .increasing the speeds of cigarette machines, for reasons hitherto unknown, when a machine which is making entirely satisfactory cigarettes at 1,000 per minute is speeded `up toy 1,400 or 1,600 per minute, the cigarettes become erratic in their weight, and in feel. That is, cigarettes when felt longitudinally have hard andsoft places in them, as though the tobacco hesitated in passing through the former'tube and the rod forming tongue which serve to compress the tobacco to cigarette cross-section. These soft and hard spots appearto be due inpart at least to partial jamming as a result of friction and sudden releasing of the tobacco as it is compressed at the former.

It has been discovered that by supplying a very small quantity of a variety of fluids having a lubricating and/or cleaning or antigumming effect such as light koil to the under side of the forming elements this difficult can be decreased or eliminated;

Though not absolutely necessary it has been found desirable to feed this liquid continuously in minute and controlled quantities and to this end it is one obj ect of the invention to provide in connection with the vforming elementsa source of supply of the liquid and a wick or other liquid dispensing means for feeding the liquid gradually while the former is in operating position. l/Vith these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then speciiically'set like characters of reference indicate the same 4 or like parts, l3`ig.A 1 isa side elevation ofa cigarette rod former illustrating ythe invention; Fig. 2 is aj'plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is anenlarged cross section taken on line 3--3 ofV Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section on line 4 4 of Figsland. l

ln carrying the invention into effect, there is provided a continuous rod cigarette machine in'combination with rod forming mech- Y anism for compressing and forming a moving-stream of tobacco and having.v for this purpose a stationary forming surface, of means for'feeding a liquid in small quantities to the surface while same is in operative position vfor cleaning and/orlubricating said surface. `Preferably this construction Vin`- cludes means for slowly feeding the liquid consisting of a wick leading fromv a source of supply to the surface 'and in the best constructions jthiswick consists of a hardwood plug soY having' its grain-running in the direction of i desired liquid flow. The method employed in carrying the inventiony linto effect for the purpose 'of prevent-ing'hard and soft spots in cigarettes producedby continuous rod cigarette machines having stationary compressing surfaces consists in continuously feeding minute quantities of cleaning or lubricating liquid to said surface while the same is in operation-to preventV friction and gummy accumulations on said surface. The various means referred to may be varied widely in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to .the precise details of the structure shown and described. y

Referring tothe drz'iwing, the tobacco T .is deposited by the feed chute 5 of the tobacco feed upon thepaper strip P in achan nelvformed by a support bar 6 and by side bars? mounted thereon. The paper stripv P rests on, and is propelled by,.an endless belt 8 supported by a pulley 9 on shaft 10, the said beltrunning in a concave depression ofa bar y11 adjoining'the support bar 6. Bars 12 mounted on bar 11 hold between them the rod former tongue 13 into which the Vtobacco 'I on paper strip P is led by the former tube 14 inserted between the bars 7.

The rod former tongue 13, which is a long thin hollow half-cone with its large fiared end towards the incoming tobacco, and which forms a constricted throat for compressing the tobacco, is provided with ak high narrow saddle piece 15 extending axially alOngits middle portion. Through the saddle 15, a

number of verticalliquid wells 16 are drilled.

and into the reduced, slightly tapered lower portions of these wells, plugs or* Wicks 17 of hardwood such as boXwood, with the grain running downwardly, are driven.V The protruding lower ends of the plugs are then 4trimmed to' conform with the inner surface ofthe rodformer. When any suitable lubrieating and/or cleaning fluid O isplaced in the 4wells 16 is seeps through the plugs 17 and gradually andcontinuously-provides the inner surface of the rod former with justthe small-quantity of liquid needed'to overcome friction. Vhile a wide variety of liquids may be used, and most liquids not, in themselvesv gummy orsticky would'have to some extent' the effect' desired, a light colorless minera-l oil such as that used for medicinal purposes, vhas-been` found satisfactory in practice. Such va liquid is efficient in keeping thesurface cleanof vgummy or' sticky substances` such as tobacco' gum, and lavorings such as rum, molasses, etc.` and has a lubri- J. leatingy effect.'

VThe guide 14, which is shaped with a high .flaring opening near the tobacco feed chute 5 vtapering Idown tolitthe entering end of the rod former 13, has similarrwicklplugs 18 inserted into the bottoms of wells 19, the tops of -allfthe wells 19 being connected by a communicating channel 20 for they reception of a quantity ofthe lubricating orl cleaning liquid 0. The channel 2O has a cover 21 which is removable-bymeans of knobs 22. If desired,

conventional oil cup,` preferably of the automatic drip type, may be inserted into the cover 21,-but since the actual consumption' is extremely low, the liquid O in the well`s16 or inlthe channel 2O willV be suicient for ordinary purposes.4

' What is claimed is:

1. In acontinuous rod cigarette machine, `{the combination with rod forming mechanism'having a stationary forming surface acting on a moving stream of tobacco, offmeans 'rforffeeding a liquid inv small 'amounts to the surface while the same is in operatingposi'- 'tion tov facilitate passage of the tobacco. i' 0 2. In a con.tinuous rod cigarette machine, `the combination with rod forming mechaf nism having a stationary forming` surface v:acting on a moving stream of tobacco, of fmeans forfeeding a liquid in small amounts to the-surface while the same is in operatingl position to facilitate vpassage of the tobacco said means including a source of supply o liquid and a device for slowly and continuously feeding liquid from said source to said surface.

3.v In a continuous rod cigarette'machine, they combination with rodforming mechanism having a stationary formin surface acting on a moving stream of to aoco, of means'for feeding a liquid in small amounts to the'surface while the same is in operating position to facilitate passage of the tobacco, said means including a source of supply of the liquid and a wick leading from said source of supplyto said surface. Y

4. In a continuous rodV cigarette machine, the combination with rod formingVV mechaiv nism having a stationary formin surface acting on amovingstream of. to acco,:of means for feeding a'liquid in smallamounts to the surface while the same is in loperating position to facilitate passage `of the tobacco', said means including a supplyy of the liquid and a wick/leading from saidv source of' supip15r to said surface yfor gradually feeding'the liquid to' said surface,y said wick comprising a plug of woodhavingrits grain runningfin the direction of liquid flow.

5. In a continuous rod cigarette machine,

the combination with rod formingxme'cha- .nismf having a stationary forming vsurface acting on a: moving stream oftobacco, of meansfor feeding a-liquid in small. amounts to the surface while'the Vsame is in operating position for facilitating passage of saidtobacco, said mechanism including. anv integral memberhaving on its underside said surface and 'having on its upper side a liquid holding Welland alead in said member'between' `said surface and said well,

61.111 a continuous rodcigarette machine, the combination with a folder tongue for holding compressed a moving streamof: tobacco at the position at which cigarette paper is folded about the stream, of means for feedingy a liquid designed togkeep resistance of said surface to the stream at a minimum, `to the tobacco engaging surface of said'tongue.

7. In a continuous-rod cigarette machine, the combination with mechanism for forwarding a stream of tobacco, of'mechanism for folding a continuous strip of paperV about said stream, a folder tongue for holding/the tobacco compressed at the position'at which the wrapper is folded. aboutv the stream, a former separate from said. tongue 'andv overlying the stream and forming and compressing the tobacco stream prior tothe operation of said tongue, and means for supplying a liquid to the tobacco engaging surface of'said former for facilitating passage of said tobacco.

8'. The combination withlmechanis'mfo'r forwarding av stream of tobacco, of tobacco forming means having a stationary surface engaging said stream to confine the same to desired cross-section, and means for continuously and gradually supplying a liquid to said surface While in operating position to facilitate the passage of the tobacco.

9. The combination with mechanism for forwarding a stream of tobacco, of tobacco forming means having a stationary surface engaging said stream to confine the same to desired cross-section, means for continuously and gradually supplying a liquid to said surface While in operatinor position for facilitating passage of said to acco, said supplying means comprising a source of supply of liquid and a Wick leading from said source of supply to said surface.

10. In a continuous rod cigarette machine, the combination with a rod forming mechanism having a relatively stationary surface acting on a stream of moving tobacco, of means for feeding a liquid to said surface While same is in operating position to keep resistance of said surface to the passage of the tobacco there along at a minimum.

11. The method of preventing hard and soft spots in cigarettes produced by continuous rod cigarette machines having a stationary compressing surface acting on a moving stream of tobacco, which consists in continuously supplying minute quantities of lubricating oil to said surface While the same is in operation to reduce the coefficient of friction of said surface to the tobacco.

12. The method of preventing hard and soft spots in cigarettes produced by continuous rod cigarette machines having a stationary compressing surface acting on a moving stream of tobacco, which consists in continuously supplying minute quantities of cleaning liquid to said surface While the same is in operation to prevent any gummy accumulations on said surface.

13. The method of increasing the uniformity of cigarettes produced by continuous rod cigarette machines having a stationary compressing surface acting on a moving stream of tobacco7 Which consists in keeping said surface during the operation of the machine continuously moist With a liquid free from sticky ingredients.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ELBERON D. SMITH. 

